Held at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre until September 28th, the event has reportedly attracted more than 115 exhibitors from 25 countries from across the world.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Sami Al Qamzi, director-general at DED, noted that the paper industry is developing well in the Middle East, with Dubai offering particular growth potential.

"We have high hopes for this industry in Dubai and the potential is really huge," he said.

"Nearly 12 per cent of Dubai's GDP is contributed by converting industries, in which the paper industry constitutes a mere 1.5 to 2 per cent. This shows the growth potential of the paper industry, taking into consideration that the UAE is one of the highest consumers of paper in the Arab world."

Paper Arabia 2010 participants include leading global industry names from the UAE, Italy, Jordan, France, China, Netherlands, US and UK, among others.